The Sun. — London, England, 1864-04-29 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, Covent-garden. From this time until the end of the season there will be four Opera nights in each week, viz., every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and rt aturday. Mademoiselle Destinn ; Signor Wachtel. TO-MORROW (Saturday), April 3 0 , will be performed, for the first time this season, Meyerbeer's Grand Opera, LE PROPHETE. Fides, Mdlle. Destinn, her fii et appearance in that character in England ; Bertha, Madame Rudersdorff ; Count Oberthat, Signor Tattliafim ; Zaccaria, Signori -B Car pponi ; Kathleen, tignor Polonini ; Oiona, Signor Nearaldi ; Sergeant, Signor Rossi ; Peasant, Signor Lucchesi ; and Jean of Leyden, Signor Wachtel, his first appearakce in that character in England. Conductor,. Mr. Costa. The Grand Skating Scene and incidental Divertissement 'will be supported by Md le. Salvoni, Aldlie. Carmine, Iddlle. Navarre, and M. Despla e Commence at half past Eight. Pit tickets, 7s. ; amphitheatre eta Is, 10s. 6d., 75., and ss. ; amphitheatre. 25. 6d. Boxes, stalls, and tickets may be had at the box-offic , under the portico of the thew re, which is open from ten to five, and at the principal musicsellers' and librartans% THEATRE ROYAL DRU It Y-L AN E. Managers, Messrs. Edmond Falconer and , F. B. Chatterton. THIS EVENING, a scene from TWELFTH NIGHT. • Alter which, will be produced the Grand Stage Revival of Shakspere's Chr,,nicle or Historical Play, entitled the First Part of HENRY THE FOURTH. The cast will include impersonations by those emincit Irtists, Mr. PH ELI'S, dlr. Walter Montgomery, Mr. Walter Lacy, Mr. A ddiso Ur. Ryder, Mr. itobert Roxby, Mr. Barrett, Mr. E Phelps, Mr. Rayner, Mr. H. Vandenhoff, Mr. G. Belmore, Mr. Ellerton, Mr. Pitzjames, Mr. Neville; Miss Edith Wynne, M ss R se Leclercq, end Mrs. Edmund Fal coner. supported by all the Members of the Drlll7-18. 4 e Com pany. To conclude with AN APRIL FOOL. Mr. G. Belmore. THEATRE ROYAL HAY M ARKET.- Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. THIS EVENING will be performed TWELFTH NIGHT. Messrs. Buckstone, Chippendale, Compton, Howe, Wm. Farren, Rogers, Braid, &c. ; Mesdames Angel, Lindley, Fitzwilliam, After which, the new Easter piece, entitled VENUS AND ADONIS. Messrs. Compton, Wm. Farren, Coe, &c. ; Mes dames Louise Keeley, Snowden, Nellyrower, Ltill, Wright, Rogers, &c. Commence at 7. ROYAL LYCEUM. THEATRE. Under the Sole Management of Mr. Fechter. ••• THIS EVENING, the performances will commence With THE DAY AFTER THE FAIR: Messrs. Widdi combe, Garden, Moreland, and Miss E. Lavenu. Atter which, Mr. John Brougham's Original Comedy, PLAYING WITH FIRE. Messrs. J. Brougham, Emery, Widdicomb, J. G. Shore ; Miss C. Lcclercq, Miss Remade, litss P. Leclercq ; Biro. Winstanley. Doors open at 7, commence at halt-past. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.- Sole Lesee and Manager, Mr. Geo. Vining. THIS EVENING, DONNA DIANA. Messrs. 'Vining, Hermann Vezin, Nelson, D. Fisher, &c.; Mesdames Hermann Vezin, C. Carson, &c Atter which, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. The Two Dromios, by the Brothers Webb. To conclude with DRAWING-ROOMS, SECOND FLOOR, AND ATTICS. NT HIV THEATRE-RO YAL, ADELPHL- Bole Proprietor and Manager. Mr. B. Webster. THIS:EV ENING,an apropos Sketch. SHAKESPEARE'S HOUSE Messrs. J. L. Toole, R. Phillips, Stephenson. Af er which, at 8, LE ATI Miss Bateman, su pported by Messrs. A. Stirling, U. Phillips, Bfflington, Stuart, Eburne, Stephenson ; Miss H. Simms and Mrs. Bitlington. To o - Rclude with Tii E AREA. BELLE : )lessrs. J. L. Too:c, P. Bedford, tt. homer, Miss Woolgar, and Mrs. H. Lewis. Commence at 7. I"SS BATE MA N.—L E A 11.—THIb EVENING and EVERY EVENING.—Miss Bateman will appear In her great impersonation of the Jewish ma , d,n ..t,til further notice. In order .o give due effect to Ulm most remarkable succes4 of the se ,son, ea, ire,y new scenery by the celebratea artists Messrs. Damson and :one, and Thompson. New dr. sses and appo ntments have be, n prepare , ! for its productior..—N. 13. In consequence of the 'ressing and numerous applications at the Box-olThze, ar lngement:t have row been made by which Seats m • y be ob tained a Fortnight in Advan, e. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, MY PRES KRVER. Alter which (third time) MAZOURKA. Messrs. Honey, Turner, &c. ; Marie Wilton, Simpson, &c. Followed by TURN HIM OUT. Commence at 7. R OYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE, under the Management of Mr. B. WEBSTER. Crowded with rank and fashion.— The greatly successful new Com-dy every Evening. First w.ek of a: new sensation Farce.— Mr. J. Clarke. Amongst the artists engaged will be found the popular names of Mr. Benjamin Webster, Mr. Charles Mathews. Mr. Frank Matthews, Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. J. Clarke, Mr. P,,ul Bedford, Mr. J. liobinson, blr, Asuley, .51r. J. Johnstone; Mrs. Char es Mathews, Miss lUrbert, Mrs Frank Matthews, Miss A. Cottrell, Miss F'anny Josephs, Miss Patti Josephs, Miss Wentworth, and Mrs. Stir,ing. EVERY EVENING, at 7. a Farce, with a new sensation, called aIIAIiE LIA.NDS : Mr. J. Clarke, Mr. AKtiley. Mr. Johnstone ; Miss Fanny Josephs and Miss Patti Josephs. At a quarter before 8, the successful new Comedy, by L. Buckingham, Esq., entitled Tar; SILVER LINIMi : Mr. 1 harles Mathews, Mr. 1 0 . Robinson, Mr. Ashley, Mr. Montague; Mrs. Charles !dathews, Mrs. Frank Matthews, Miss A. Cottrell, and Mrs. Stirling. After which, at le, COOL AS A CUCUMBER. Mr. Charles Mathews. To conclude with UNDER THE HOSE : Mr. Ashley and Miss A. Cottrell. Commence at 7. COALS. —The LILLESHALL COMPANY'S COAL 9. Direct from their own Collieries. Marquis' .265. per ton. Double 21s. per ton. Top 255. „ Nut 5........ 19s. „ Deep 22a. „ Well screened and delivered within five miles of their De pots, Westbourne Park-road, W., and 17, South Wharf, Paddington, W. Best Coke lss. per chaldron. Terms cash. JOHN SCOTT, Sole Agent. TIRE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," 1. Containing the Latest SPORTLNG INTELLIGENCE, Dan be had Every Evening of G. R. GLENIE, NEWS AGENT, No. 4, Coanau,ght-terrace, Hyde-park. The Weather—Sun Office, April 29, 1864. THERMOMETER. This day at Two o'clock 5l Barometer-30.15. Wind—N,W.; fresh breeze, and fine. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. 'Tara DAY.—Morning, 7h. 3m.—Afternoan, 7h. 40m. 10-moituow.-Morning, Bh. 15m.—Atternoon, 8a.56m. Eip; le' LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1864. It must be confessed that Ministers are particu larly unfortunate just now. First one thing and then another seems to conspire against them, and all the unpleasant reports, disagreeable rumours, and inimical hints that have been circulated, whis pared about, and spread abroad, seem to be coming true, and That at a very awkward time. In the recess things can be smuggled over in a convenient fashion, and the most perplexing inquiries can be shelved, as it were, with one device or another. It is quite otherwise, however, during the session. Then all are on the qui vice for intelligence, and if there are no reports afloat concerning an enemy, a friend's reputation must be sacrificed, rather than have nothing to find fault with or grumble at. A few months ago the sage or sapient adherents of the Government would have scouted the idea of their being worsted in so many encounters, and quite ignored the notion of their being taken in and duped on so many occasions. Experience that teaches so many sad and stern lessons has, however, imparted this direful information, and our present advisers can neither boast of their wi's or their \ 9 isdom. Perhaps they have been willingly de ceived ; but as they dare not confess such a thing, tne same blame must attach itself to them, as if they had been really desirous of acting impartially. Lord ley o , s , despatch recently published is a very curious co mmunication, and even in these days of remarkable eccurrences and astounding anomalies it is a very striking and startling affair. Perhaps the most conspicuous part of the transaction is the coolness with which the matter is treated by every one. D oe s this qaieeence show indifference to the cheating practised, or fear of offending the parties implicated in the coneetn? Either way the very guard,l e.apreasions made use of scam quite out of place. It is is a manner holdin g oat a premiumfor trickery a n d deceit to ahow such glaring instances to pass by almost unoticed and quite uncensured. At all events, such slurring over grave offences against honesty, is one of the Innovations of the new style of things introduced by the di sc i p l es o f Progress of the present day. It was a noble saying of the French monarch, that if truth and honour were banished from the rest of the world, they ought to be enshrined in the hearth of kings ; but there is no need for the sentiment to die out in these practical times that have suc ceeded to the poetic days of ancient chivalry. In all matters that are more or less national, and in all transactions that have reference to the inter- communication of Stater, the greatest sincerity should prevail, also the utmost care ought to be used to prevent any false report gaining ground, and any unfounded charge being credited. The same rule app:ies to the concerns of friends and foes, lukewarm supporters, and devoted adherents. Justice knows no distinction, and there will be an end of all upright dealings and fair conduct, if once the idea obtains that it is lawful to outs wit an adversary at the expense of candour, and through the violation of the laws of straight forwardness. Nothing can excuse Mr. SEWARD for the part he has played in this disgraceful affair of the forged despatch. It has been, indeed, reported that he was aware of its peculiar cha racter. That cannot be proved, and it does not mend one serious error to make another mistake in accounting for its origin. At all events those who are kind Enough to give him the benefit of the doubt cannot deny that he deserves the im putation, and if it is an unjust assertion, he should reflect that he had no right to be in such a hurry to take away the reputation of others, and then upon a supposition to do them a positive injury, or work upon the credulity of too impressionable allies. It is a grievous blunder in his acts as a public man. The American war has been rife with these disastrous personal complications, but none of the preceding affairs has at all coma up to this last scandal. It is a very lame account of the proceed ing which is given in Lord LYONS' letter. Perhaps he is ashamed of the whole thing, and, if so, it is the first sign of good taste and feeling which has been shown in the transaction from beginning to end. We have seen the most ignorant infatuation, the most indecent taste, and the most unwarrant able jumping at conclusions on all sides, as regards Mr. SEWARD and his myrmidons, and Earl Rus SELL and his emissaries, but no trace of consideration is anywhere discoverable and no gleam of good will or generous forbearance lights up the dark and devious track that has been pursued. It is one of the many evils which accrue from the influence of such narrow views, and the constant practice of petty actions, that when any mistake is made there is nothing to fall back upon. It is impossible for the politician, the diplomatist, or the statesman to recover himself, because he was only actuated by the most sordid and selfish motives. Ha aimed at damaging his opponent, not at render ing the State a signal service. Those who make the end justify the means can never hope to inspire respect or to win regard. If they succeed, they may forget all higher influences in the whirl of the busy wheel of fortune; but if they fail there is nothing to impart dignity to reverses or to take the sting from defeat. It may be that some of those connected with these forged communications may still rejoice at the success of the man es avre, although they admit the falsity of the reports that have worked the mischief. If so, they ought to be ashamed of themselves, for such a dastardly course of action is a disgrace to a civilised state and would be a stain in the annals of savage warfare. One thing is worthy of notice—that the deceit has been very lightly passed over by our Ministers. The Attorney-General has admitted that, in his sim plicity, he believed the reports to be genuine ; but the other Ministers will not allow their wisdom to be in fault, and prefer to allow the matter to drop quietly. In the name of English honour, and for the sake of national credit, this should not be. A wrong has been perpetrated, and our Government have helped to do it; a gross injusii2e has been done to a struggling State, and those who have been active agents in assisting in the outrage should come forward and disown the originators of the base and ignoble transaction. if they d) not take as much pains to circulate the denial as they did to spread abroad the false accusation,they are compro mising themselves, and must share the disgrace, if not the guilt, of the conspiracy. There is nothing to be ashamed of in confessing a mistake, bat there is everything to blush for in keeping up the game of subterfuge, and allowing things to take their course when that course is a crooked one, and such that will not bear the light of day shed upon it. It is to be remembered that the subjects of this realm have suffered great wrongs in conse quence of this shameful and scandalous proceeding. It seems strange that so little care has been evi denced by those bound to protect them for their unjust and unfair treatment. Those who review the course of this American war from the outset will assuredly trace this episode in dark colours, and no triumph that the partial success of the nefarious scheme has wrought out for political and party pur poses can compensate fcr the mischief it has done in destroying confidence and shaking our faith and reliance in the goodwill of our Government. It is too late to tell us to rest and be thankful when there is no security that any day the garbled ac• count, the false report, and the forged despatches of an unscrupulous and unprincipled foreigner may not actuate a Minister to adopt the most stringent course, and to resort to the most extreme measures. Before Earl RUSSELL next presumes to address a public meeting, and talk so glibly of the necessity of altering our laws to suit the fancies of our sen sitive allies, he had better take the trouble to ascer tain whether he is not the dupe of an adroit schemer, and the victim of some practical joke. It is long since so flagrant an outrage has been offered to the good sense, the high character, and the honourable feeling of this country, and it is too bad for those who have done so much harm to be too proud to own their errors, or too wilful to do their utmost to rectify the mistakes it has led them to commit, and the injuries that it has been the means of inflicting. It is satisfactory to learn, by the news from Cal cutta, that recent investigations tend to prove that the outbreak on the North. West frontier was not the result of so general a conspiracy as was once feared. There is no doubt that the disturbances were encouraged, if not originated, by Mahommedan agents, several of whom have been arrested at Patna ; but it appears that nothing has yet oc curred to strengthen the belief of a widespread Nlussulman confederacy. Oa the contrary, it would appear, from the trifling nature of the evi dence adduced, as well as from the relationship proved to exist between the principal agent and some of the frontier tribes, that the whole affair was of a purely local and temporary character. This is a highly satisfactory result of the investi gation, removing the uneasiness and suspicion na turally excited by a less favourable view of the caee. From Calcutta itself the news is cheering enough, with one serious exception, the state of the pablic health, Still, even the sic mess and mortality now so terribly frequent on the banks of the Hooghly may in the end prove t 3 be blessings in disguise, by compelling the authorities to take active measures of sanitary reform. The acknow ledged evils of the city have been suffered to in crease with the increasing population until they have reached a height and a virulence that threaten most serious results, unless their progress be promptly checked. 5,000 corpses, it is said, are an nually thrown into the river,;; to float among the shipping, wi'aile the total absence of drainage and sewerage increase a hundredfold the natural unhealthiness of the city. When we add to these evils the condition of the nat i ve town and the defi ciency of pure wator, we shall not much wonder at THE SUN, LOT‘.IION, FRIDAY _EVENING, APRIL 29, 1864. CHARLES DICKENS'S NEW STORY. Part I. of" Our Mutual Friend." The "two green leaves" dear to ns all by reason of so many delightful recollections are putting forth anew, this once, appropriately enough in the spring time. Upon the average, hitherto, if we remember rightly, they have begun to burgeon in the autumn, generally speaking, somewhere about October. Anyhow, they came forth upon this occa sion in every imaginable way most seasonably. Where the last story of our Great Humourist ended, his new story now begins. As we open the first chapter we are, with him—afloat again upon the Thames!. Not participating in the flight of another convict, such as that wonderful Magwitch in " Great Expectations," but sculling, in the autumn twilight, over the great river in a to it propelled by the daughter of a " 'long shoreman," one Gaffer Hexam, a creature not unlike Shakapere's Samphire-Picker, for inasmuch as he has to do with the borders of the great deep, and that his, also, is indeed a "fearful trade !" The Bird of Prey, as Hexam is dubbed by our novelist, sits in the stern of the boat when we first see him —On the Look Oat ! As an opening chapter, this first one of " Our Mutual Friend" is wonder fully striking. It influences the reader, like a glance from the Ancient %tanner's eye : we needs must listen. In its way, as an introduc tion to a serial story, it is equal—more than this we could not possibly way of it—it is equal to that opening chapter in the graveyard by the marshy flats, giving at once a landscape and a haunting in terest to " Great E xpectations," And as the little boy Pip and that shuddering,hunted Magwitch stood out vividly there from that congenital background of the wild flat and the weedy graveyard—so here upon the instant we have indelibly imprinted upon our recol lection—afloat upon the river Thames—at their un holy work towards nightfalle—the 'longshoreman Hexam, and that foul creature's fair young daughter! Already, in truth, there is abundant promise in this Part I. of an enthralling story. The ravelling of the thread of it into a most intricate plot is, to our mind, in these thirty-two pages, even now pretty well accomplished. Insomuch that we can readily understand at once the initial hieroglyphic on the green cover. Four chapters make up this first instalment. The preliminary chapter we have already characterised. The one imme diately following it introduces us to a throng of genuine Box characters. The Veneerings— to begin with—occupy the foreground. A wonderful couple ! Everything new about them : they them selvesbein g—asnewly married, when the tale begins, we are gravely told, "as was lawfully compatible with their having a bran new baby." Tie new• ness of their friends, moreover, is suggestive to our author of the drollest incidents imaginable: among others, take the following, " fearful circumstance," as he calls it—occurring when the guests are assembling at a dinner-party given by these same Veneerings— " Mis-ter and Mis-sis Podanap I" "My dear," says Mr. Veneering to Mrs. Veneering, with an air of much friendly interest, while the door stands open, " the Podanaps." A too, too smiling large man, a ith a fatal freshness on him, appearing with his wife, instantly deserts his wife and darts at Twemlow with : "How do you do? So glad to know you. Charming house you have hero. I hope we are not late, So glad of this opportunity, I am sure I" _ _ _ When the first shock fell upon him, Twemlow twice skipped back in his neat littlo shoes and his neat little silk stockings of a bygone fashion, as if imgelled to leap over a sofa behind him ; but the large man closed with him and proved too strong. "Let me," says the large man, trying to attract the at tention of his wife in the distance, "have the pleasure of presenting Mrs. Podsnap to her host, She will be," in his fatal freshness he seems to find perpetual verdure and eter nal youth in the phrase, "she will be so glad of the oppor tunity, I am sure I" In the .meantime, Mrs. Podsnap, unable to originate a mistake on her own account, because Mrs. Veneering is the only other lady there, does her best in the way of hand somely supporting her husband's, by looking towards Mr. Twemlow with a plaintive countenance and remarking to Mrs. Veneering iu a feeling manner, firstly, that she fears he has been rather bilious of late, and, secondly, that the baby is already very like him, It is questionable whether any man quite relishes being mistaken for any other man ; but, Mr. Veneering having this very evening set up the shirt-front of the young An tinous (in new worked cambric just come home), is not at all complimented by being supposed to be Twemlow, who is dry and weaz in and some 30 years older. Mrs. Veneering equally resents the imputation of being the wife of Twem low. As to Twemlow, he is so sensible of being a much better bred man than Veneering, that he considers the large man an offensive ass. i In this complicated dilemma, Mr. Veneering approaches the large man with extended hand and, smilingly assures that incorrigible personage that he is delighted to see him : who in his fatal freshness instantly replies : . . . " Thank you. lam ashamed to say that I cannot at this moment recall where we met, but I am so glad of this op portunity, I am sure 1" Then pouncing upon Twemlow, who holds back with all his feeble might, he is haling him off to present him, as Veneering, to Mrs Podsnap, when the arrivals of more guests unravels tse mistake. Whereupon, having re-shaken hands with Veneering as Veneering, he re-shakes hands with Twemlow as Twemlow, and winds it all up to his own perfect satisfaction by saying to the last-named, " Ridicu lous opportunity—but so glad of it, lam sure I" Now, Twemlow having undergone this terrific experience, having likewise notei the fusion of Boots in Brewer and Brewer in Boots, and having further observed that of the remaining seven guests four discreet characters enter with wandering eyes and wholly decline to commit themselves as to which is Veneering, until Veneering has them in his grasp ; Twemlow having profited by these studies, finds his brain wholesomely hardening as he approaches the conclusion that ho really is Veneering's oldest friend, when his brain softens again and all is lost, through his eyes encountering Veneering and the large man linked together as twin brothers in the back drawing-room near the conservatory door, and through his ears informing him in the tones of Mrs. Veneering that the same large man is to be baby's godfather. Among the retainers in at tendance at this dinner party there is one, by the way, who is so depreciatory in his manner of everything and everybody that, when he precedes a guest up the staircase, with a mourn ful air, he does so "as who should say, Here is another wretched victim come to dinner : such is life.'" Bottle in hand, he goes the round of the table " like a gloomy Analytical Chemist : always seeming t o say after Chablis, sir You wouldn't if you knew what it's made of." Hence forth, naturally, he is never mentioned, this same melancholy retainer, but as the " Analytical Cnemist" —every time more and more ludicrously. Commend us—among the guests waited upon by the Analyti cal Chemist to the Podsnaps already introduced — he " with two little light-coloured wir y wings on either side of his else bald head, looking as like his hairbrush as his hair" she " fin e woman for Professor Owen, quantity o f bone, neck and nostrils like a reeking horse,'' et cetera. Or, better still , commend us to the Mature Youn g gentleman " with too much nose in his face, too much ginger in his whiskers, too much torso in his waistcoat, too much sparkle in his studs, his eyes, his buttons, his talk, and his teeth." Or best of all —Lady Tippins " with an immense obtuse drab oblong face, like a face in a tablespoon." An old lady, who, in her gaiety of manner, enhances the humour of her remarks " by a certain yellow play in her throat like the legs of scratching poultry." Tho Four Buffers of the party, moreover, including among them Boots and Brewer, help the fun of this portion of the story amazingly. The only rational people, by the way, among the whole set being Mortimer Lightwood, the Solicitor, and his friend, formerly his schoolfellow, the gloomy Eugene, Barrister-at-Law. The way in which Mortimer tells a story at the dinner table—a story eirectly bearing upon the whole plot of the serial here com menced—the way in which Mortimer relates it, with all the byeplay and all the interruptions well, to cur mind Mr. Dickens has never written anything more _elightful in the way of quiet, play. ful humour, has never written anything more plen tifully marked with touches of that life-like reality, in respect to which his writings are—simply, in one word, inimitable. The chapter coming next, chapter three, that is, entitled " Another Man" —as the ono before it has been typically called (in reference to the plot) " The Alen from Some where"—carries us onward into the intricacies of that labyrinth the readers of " Our Mutual Friend" are happily destin.id now to track out through all its manifold windings during the next nineteen months consecutively. The Police Station—the Police Inspector, cool and deliberate, like an abbot the verdict of a member of the Calcutta Medical College, who said, "If a man is fortunate when he first comes out he will have fever; if he is unfortu nate he will have dysentery ; if he is very unfortul. nate he will have cholera." Stich a picture may be an extreme one, but it is only too evident that there is urgent need of some change. We are pay ing a dear price for the culpable indifference and neglect which has hitherto been shown in these matters in the lives of valuable public servants whose official duties oblige them to undergo the risks attending a prolonged resi dence in Calcutta. Mr. MILLS, Q.C., the new judge, is, we regret to learn, the latest victim. Some efforts have lately been made to mend matters; and the report of the chairman of the newly ap• pointed Sanitary Commission, only ',comprises the most that has been said of the state of the city. The Government is preparing for its move to Simla, and is therefore, in common with the public, awaiting anxiously Sir CHARLES TREYELYAN'S Budget. That anxiously looked for event is not likely to be quite so welcome this year as last, since recent events have interfered with the expected surplus. Fortunately, the unusually large receipts from the customs have compensated in a great measure both for the depression of the opium trade and for the tightness of the money market. Unfortunately Sir CHARLES TREVELYAN has lost much of his popula rity among the trading community by his inaction during the late commercial crisis. Matters are now mending, but from the restricted state of the cur rency the recurrence of such panics is but too cer tain. Why cannot our financiers try the experi ment of a paper currency under proper limitations, based on the national credit. Such a course would relieve India from her monetary difficulties, and would avoid tha possibility of a crisis like the pre sent. It would also give a stimulus to enterprise and an encouragement to trade and commerce, which could not fail to affect the general prospe rity of the country and to develop its resources, Had the panic occurred in a less favourable year its results would have been far more serious, but we have no security that it will not recur when the Exchequer is embarrassed and the crops failing. According to English, and still more to Anglo- Indian custom, we must we suppose wait for that day before we can hope for a substantial change. Reforms of all kinds are, however, likely to go on ander the new Governor, whose energy and industry have startled officials of every degree from their comfortable dolce far niente. Noce can complain of overwork when they see the amount of labour accomplished by the chief of the State, and accord ingly a long accumulation of arrears is being cleared of in every quarter. The Viceroy does not spare sharp words and practical hints to indolent or supine officials; and by example, precept, and keen supervision, he has succeeded in stirring up the various departments to a degree of vigour and inactivity long unknown. Neither is his supervision a mere form, since almost every re port bears, it is said, in its marginal notes a proof of its having been read by the Governor himself. Afraid apparently of the reaction which would fol low his absence, the Governor takes the whole secretariat with him to Simla, where, if they get change of air, they are not likely to get too many holidays under such a chief. India wanted such a man at her head, since the immense accumulation of neglected public questions placed a formidable barrier in the way of her social, and political pro gress. There are in all quarters of the country abuses to be rectified, reforms to be instituted, im provements to be effected which have been talked of year by year but have never been forthcoming. The present session has seen many important measures passed in Calcutta, and one of them for the registration of d6eds is interesting to many in this country, since it secures the purchaser of land from fraud and litigation, thus encouraging the formation of enterprising companies, and the in vestment of English money in India. Altogether the news is satisfactory, and we may hope that the active and enlightened spirit now infused into the Calcutta councils will before long produce still . more marked effects. The Volunteer Review at Guildford. The following official correspondence has been issued from the War•ofce : "Horse Guards, S.W., April 22, 1864. " Sir, —Referring to my letter of the 6th inst., transmitting a copy of Lieutenant-General Sir John PennefaCher's report on the Volunteer Review at Guildford, I have now the honour, by direction of Field Marshal Commanding in Chief, to send you. .for submission to the Secretary of State, a copy of a supplementary report from that officer with regard to the volunteer artillery present on that occasion. —I have, (Signed) J. YORKE SCARLETT, A.G. "The Under Secretary of State for War," &c. "Aldershot, April 18, 1864. " Sir,—lt has been brought to my notice that in my report, dated the 31st ult., of the Volunteer Review, which took place under my command on Easter Monday last, at Blackheath, near Guildford, I made no mention of the volunteer arti.lery. ";I have now to request that yon will do me the honour to acquaint his Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding in Chief and the Secretary of State for War that this omission was unintens tional on my part, and that I had good reason to be satisfied with the soldier-like appearance of the artillery, the excellent state of their guns, carriages, horses, and gear, and the efficient manner in which the batteries were worked and manceuvred on the occasion in question. "Many of the pieces were heavy guns, and it was surprising to see how well they were moved over some very broken ground—even the 24-pounders— although of course such batteries, intended for posi tion, could not be calculated on to act with infantry in extended field operation. " It is right I should add, and I think it most creditable to the force, that no remonstrance, re presentation, or complaint on the part of the Volun teer Artillery, directly or indirectly, has been made to me with reference to the omission above referred to,—l have, &c. (Signed) "S. L, PENNEPATHER, Lieut.-Gen. "The Adjutant-General," &c. " War-office, April 28, 1864. am directed by the Earl De Grey a nd Ripon to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22d inst., enclosing a supplementary report from Lieutenant-General Sir J. L. Pennefather, on the Volunteer Review which was held on Easter Monday, and to request that you will inform his Royal Highness the Field Marshal Com manding-in-Chief that his lordship has observed with great satisfaction that the volunteer artillery has received from Sir J. L. Pennefather equal com mendation to that all eAlly bestowed by hien on the other arms of the service.—l have, &e., (Sig Led ) "The Adjutant-Gen: rah" " EDWARD LITGARD, SOCIETY FOR TIIE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE FINE ARTS.—Last evening Dr. Christopher Dresset delivered a lecture "On Colour ; Its Harmomies and Con trasts." He gave in a succinct form a history of the disco veries as to the nature of colours and their progressive com binations, beginning with the tnree primitive colours, red, blue, and yellow, and then going into their combinations in the seconeary and tertiary classes; showing also how by certain rules of proportion, certain combinations of colour, primary, secondary, and tertiary, brought into jur,taposition would produce a harmonious effect or the reverse. The lecture, which was thoroughly practical in its bearing, was listened to with great interest by a numerous audience. A discussion followed, in which Mr Hurlstone (who occupied the chair), Mr H, Tidey, Mr Dutton, Mr Wood, and others took part, in his monastery, even while the drunken drab in the cell hard-by is clamouring in her shrieks for some other woman's liver—the said Inspector's alert satellite—these and other scenes and people, thereabouts, are described as Mr. Dickens only can describe London localities and specimens of the London population. Finally, in the fourth chapter completing this opening number of the new story, we are introduced, in the purlieus of Hollo way, to divers members of " The R. Wilfer Family." The chubby paterfamilias in the group, R. Wilfer himself, to wit, bears, it is hinted, a resemblance to the conventional cherub grown up and clothed! R. stands for Reginald, but the cheru bic Wilfer being a poor clerk merely, with a very small stipend, modestly contracts into R, a Christian name for which his facetious associates, thereupon substitute a variety of preposterous adjectives and participles beginning with R, as Ripe, Ridiculous, Roaring, Raffish, and so forth, the favourite substi tute for his own name, the one sticking to him like a burr, being—absurdly—Runty ! . Mrs. Wilfer, his wife, who ties her head in a handkerchief, and wears a pair of gloves in doors, "as a kind of armour against misfortune (invariably assuming it when in low spirits or in difficulties) and as a species of full dress"—promises to be as amusing in her way as Airs. Micawber. Two out of the daughters of the house, Bella and Lavinia, are already, here, among our acquaintance. Inducted also into the Wilfer establishment, as the new lodger on the first floor, is one in whom we are fain to recognise not only " three gentlemen in one," like Mrs. Malaprop's Cerberus, but the hero of the narrative. Can he be " Oar Mutual Friend ?" Already we know not how to call him ! Mr. John Harmon—Mr. Julius Handford—Mr. John Arrowsmith. By the way it almost seems to us as if—out of the very confusion there is in regard to his identity, or rather out of the very reduplication of his--how shall we term them?— well, in Cockney Latin, aliases —the wrong name, is, as it seems to us, for the moment, by an oversight, applied to him in the very last sante= of Part One, that is to say, the wrong name (again we would inter ject here, as it seems to us), in Be:la's regard! It is, namely, where Mr. John Arrowsmith is spoken of as one whom she (Bella) might have regarded with different eyes had she known that he rather resembled a twin brother of—(a person wholly un known to her as yet even by name)—" Mr. Julius Sandford!" The allusion could only have been comprehensible to us had it here been said— " Mr. John Harmon." However, this apparent con fusion in regard to the name referred to, may be our own exclusively. The sequel of the story, under any circumstances, will for certain clear up the seeming difficulty. As certainly as the ninth chapter of it (p. 84) we perceive by a fly-Mem, is to clear up the difficulty about the popular phrase suggestive of the book's title. At any rate, we may now most cordially congratulate Mr. Dickens upon the bril liant commencement he has here made of his new serial fiction—as we may certainly congratulate his countless readers upon the treat before them. Ac the new illustrator of Charles Dickens, vice "Phiz," Mr. Marcus Stone makes a very creditable beginning. The river scene with the Bird of Prey, afloat with his Child upon the Themes, is excel lent. And cleverly, too, in the other illustration to Part 1., has the artist depicted—how shall we call him ?—Our Mutual Friend ?—with his back to us ! THE ROYAL ACADEMY. (Tins DAY.) The Private View of the Royal Academy collec tion for the season of 1864, has enabled us this fore noon to appreciate some at least among its many excellencies. On Monday morning, in duo course, the great annual Picture Exhibition will be thrown open to the inspection of the Pubiic at large. But, to-day, careful examination before-hand of the principal works of art contributed this year to the walls of the Royal Academy by the various competitors, affords us the customary opportunity of premising what may there ba anticipated by the General Public, in the way of either satisfaction or disappointment. Out of upwards of one thou sand works of art, pictorial and scLlptureEque (to be precise, the number particularised in the cata logue will be found to be 1,C62) it would be, of course, impossible to specify (even if we had the leisure, after attending the Private View) more than a very small proportion indeed even among the more note worthy contributions. We must perforce, there fore, content ourselves now, on this very day of the Private View, with speaking of the present year's Exhibition at the Royal Academy, in terms of the merest generality. If only by reason of the ambi tious character of the picture a. a work of art— as a work of high art—F. Leigaton'a (194) " Dante in Exile," demands at least to be at once particularised, and to be mentioned too, as it deserves, in terms expressive of our highest ad miration. Mr. Elmore's (100) "Within the Con vent Walls," is a smaller but a very noble and an eminently beautiful production. It will rank among his masterpieces. There is not far off again upon the same wall in Mr. Lewis's (110) " The HOsh," a wonderful pro duction—a. very marvel of. painting. Sir Edwin Landseer has two or three pictures in the Gallery, one of them at least not unworthy of his reputa tion. It is a picture, the one we here al lude to, of the icy Arctic— with some Polar Bears—tearing a banner or same blankets, among wreck and bones—horrible to look at—being, as it is like grim life and death huddled together ! Mr. Stansfield gives us, in 1864, his notion (as Sir Edwin, years ago, gave his) of " Peace" and " War." Mr. Poole contributes two or three charming pic tures—one of them a very charming picture, that of the " The Foster Children"—but not one of them, to our mind, worthy of his splendid abilities as an artist. The rooms of the Gallery, as we quitted them, were beginning to fill rapidly. Among the fashionable people already noticeable there were the Duke of Argyll, the Earl of Carlisle, the Arch bishcp of Dublin, together with a crowd of other well-known members of the aristocracy, both lay and ecclesiastical. Speech of Prince William of Baden, _ _ CARLSRUIIE, April 25. The sitting of the Upper Chamber was opened by Prince William of Baden, the President, today, with the following address : " It is a pleasin,; and constantly exercised duty of this high Chamber always to take the warmest interest in all events affecting the Fatherland. Two events of this character have recently taken place in the warlike history of our country. The first is the glorious engagement of the first Prussian ships upon the 18th March with a superior hostile fleet ; the second the occurrence of the 18th of the present month, which is inscribed in the warlike story of Prussia and of Germany in letters of gold. Upou the last mentioned day the Prussian army gained a brilliant victory over the army of the enemy of the entire Fatherland. Sagacious leadership, coupled with the devotion and unsurpassable valour of the troops, have succeeded at least in expelling the enemy for ever frona the mainland. The result, gentlemen, is all the more glorious and eventful— for which we cannot thank Divine Providence with sufficient ardour—as it has taken place shortly be fore the meeting of the perhaps dangerous Code , ence, which is to decide till future of Schleswig Holstein, in a country hostile to Germany. Let us, therefore, oin in the exultation of the Prussian people, and not omit to participate in the sorrow of those who have suffered great grief and losses upon the 18th. Ours be it to exclaim, Honour and fame to the allied armies, who fought for German honour ? Peace to the ashes of those who have died the death of heroes for their country !'" All the members of the Chamberl•ose from their seats in token of their agreement with the speech of their President. Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day, Market very strong. Sales, about 10,000 bales. Week's sales, 96,420 bales, including; 20,560 on speculation, and 22,180 for export; actual export, 11,525; estimated stock, 367,599. Qaotations— Middling, Orleans, 271; Mobile, 271 ; Uplands, 274; estimated fair Egyptians, 284 to 29; Surats, 91 to 25. Imports, 18,344 bales, LATEST INTELLIGENCE. IREUTER'S TELEGRAMS.] AUSTRIA. VIENNA, APRIL 29. The Emperor and Empress of Russia are expected on the 15th May at Kissengen. His Majesty will remain a fortnight. The Emperor and Empress of Austria are also about to visit Kissengen, and a meeting of the Sovereigns will probably take place. THE PRINCIPALITIES. BUCHAREST, APRIL 28. An important public manifestation was com menced here yesterday evening. The corporations and professors together, with a large concourse of people, assembled with a view of thanking the Prince for the new electoral law. The assembly dispersed, however, at the invita tion of the authorities. MEXICO. PARIS, APRIL 29. The Moniteur of this morning says :—Advices received here from Mexico to the 29th March, state Ihe reconciliatory mission of the French army was becoming better understood. The number of adhesions was continually increas ing, and the guerillas had disappeared. FRANCE. 13ounsE, April 28.—The arrival of the English funds with a decline has had a rather depressing effect on the market. Threes, for the Account, receded to 661. 80c., but they have since recovered, and are now at 66f. 95c. Mobilier. after having gone down to 1,2051., are now at 1,220 f. Railway Market heavy, but up to the present time with little variation in prices. The market again de. clined towards the close, and left off as follows : 11 per Cents. . . 94 Italian Loan 6B 70 Do. end month.... Do. end month 6B 75 3 per Cents Do. end month 66 75 Do. end month.... Credit Mobilier 1197 50 Russian Do. end month.. ~1196 Austrian - Bank Shares 3350 Spanish Threes.... 51 75 Credit Foncier l2BO florae Debt .. 49 25 Roman RA IL WAYS. Cash. Account. Orleans BB5 „. 887 50 Northern Lyons and Mediterranean 940 .. 945 New ditto BB7 50 .. S3u.thern Western .. . Eastern ....... „„, 478 75 .. 480 Sardinian Austrian Lorrbard North of Spain Saragoss , Ditto to Barcelona AMERICA. REUTER'S EXPRESS. (Per the City of London.) NEW YORK, April 16. Despatches from the Army of the Potomac announce that the roads in its vicinity are now in excellent condition, presenting no obstacle to an immediate advance. The Orange and Alexandria Railroad is again in running order, and uninter rupted railroad and telegraphic communication exists between the army and Webbington. It is expected that active operations will commence at once. The rebel guerillas are becoming active. On the 14th Mosby, with about five hundred rebel cavalry, appeared suddenly near Bristol station, and cap tured 25 Federal soldiers. He moved off in the direction of Fredericksburg, It is reported that Longstreet bad reached Rich mond on the 11th with the greater portion of his army, and that General Leo had been heavily rein forced from other points, and also by a great num ber of conscripts. The Army of the Potomac is believed to exceed that of General Lee in numbers, and is represented to be in excellent condition. There is no further news from Knoxville or Chattanooga. East Tennessee is said to have been entirely abandoned by the rebels. Fort Pillow, on the Mississippi River, 70 miles above Memphis, was captured on the 12th inst. by the rebel forces under Gen. Forrest, who demanded first a surrender cf the fort—declaring that, if he had to take it by storm, no quarter would be given to the coloured troops, of which the garrison mostly consisted. Major Booth, the Federal commander, refused to surrender,and the rebels at once stormed the fort, overpowering the garrison by numbers. The negro troops became panic-stricken, and tied to the rear. It is alleged that the rebels massacred nearly all the negro and many of the white troops after the surrender of the fort, and that less than 200 out of the garrison of 600 were spared. Major Booth was killed. The rebel General Chalmers is said to have endeavoured to stop the carnage. An account received, via Cairo, states that only 56 negroes were spared, and that not one officer who commanded them survived. The rebels are said to have lost heavily in the assault. Several of the guns were spiked pravious to their falling into the hands of the rebels. The guns of the fort were turned upon the Federal gunboat No. 7, which was compelled to withdraw. It is said that the rebels intended to evacuate the place and attack Memphis. One despatch, however, states that they will garrison and hold the fort. No boats are allowed to go below Columbus, Kentucky. The Government is said to have received no con firmation of the reported massacre of the garrison, although the accounts received are generally be. lieved to be but little exaggerated. The rebel General Buford, commanding a division of Forrest's forces, drove in the Federal pickets at Columbus, Kentucky, on the 13th, and demanded the surrender of Fort Halleck. The Federal com mander refused to surrender, and Buford's forces withdrew, and a portion of them subsequently attacked and occupied Paducah, being finally driven out by the Federal gunboats. They moved off towards Mayfield, taking with them a large amount of plunder, There is a prevailing apprehension that the ope rations of Forrest and Buford, although important in themselves, are merely intended to effect a diver sion in favour of more formidable operations else where under General John Morgan. Under whom, at last accounts, a very heavy force was being con centrated at Abingdon, in South. Western Rebel guerillas are quite active in Kentucky, opposite Cairo. Advices from Louisiana to the sth inst. state that General Banks and staff had reached Grand Ecore. Alexandria has been put in condition for defence against a threatened rebel attack. The heavy ironclads had dropped down the Red River to Fort Do Russr. There was nothing further from the column moving against Shreveport, under General Smith. Latest advices from Arkansas state that General Steele's army, on the 'ith inst., had reached a point on the Little Missouri river, 25 miles from Cam den, and expected next day to effoct a junction with the force under General Thayer, advancing from Fort Smith. General Steele has been several times attacked by the rebels under Marmaduke and Shelby with cavalry, the rebols being repulsed in each case. Texas advices announce the occupation of Eagle Pass, on the Rio Grande, by :a heavy Federal cavalry fore. Eagle Pass has been the great point at which the rebels have sent cotton over into Mexico. Corpus Christi has been re-occupied by the Federals, and a number of rebel prisoners taken. A cavalry fight between the 14th New York and a portion of the Seventh Alabama regiments is re ported to have occurred near Barrencas, Florida, in which the rebels lost heavily and retreated. The rebel conscription is rigidly enforced in Southern Alabama, and terrible persecutions are said to be inflicted on those who try to evade it. Admiral Porter has furnished the navy depart• meat evidence of the existence of a regularly orga nized rebel torpedo corps, whose object is to destroy' Federal vessels by every possible device. The Alexandria Virginia Union Convention have adopted an amendment to the state constitutio n abolishing slavery. In the Federal Senate, the committee on foreign affairs have refused to report the resolution adopted in the House of Representatives, reasserting the Munroe doctrine and denouncing the French eectl' pation of Mexico. The Metropolitan Sanitary Fair in New York' continues to be well attended, and receipts thus for amount to 60Q,000 dols. The votes for the presentation of a sword by the Fair are so far largely in favour of General M'C lel6 lan. Each visitor paying 1 dol. can vote. Altb"g h upparently an unimportant affair, the result A g anxiously awaited, inasmuch as it is thought to indicate the relative popularity of the two Generals' SOUTHAMPTON, April 29. The Hamburg and American Company's steame r Teutonia from New York on the 16th inst. has arrived off Cowes. She brings 134 passengers for this port, Havre, and Hamburg, 118,200 dole. 1 ° specie for France, and 500 dole, for Hamburg. On the 17th inst. she spoke the Saxonia boun d for New York. The Teutonia is waiting for orders before pro ceeding for Hamburg. (1.1111110 4 - q HER MAJESTY. OSBORNE, April 28' His Royal Highness Prince Augustus of Sage Coburg', Prince Philip, and Princess Amelie arrived yesterday on a visit to her Majesty, and left Osborne at ten o'clock this morning on their retai l to Claremont. Princess Leiningen dined with her Majesty an d the royal family. The Prince and Princess of Wales, SANDRINGHAM, April 25. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, st . tended by Captain Grey, arrived at Sandringh o on Tuesday evening from Newmarket, having travelled to Wolferton by special train. Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, at' tended by the Hon. Mrs. W. Grey, walked in On grounds, end drove out. On Wednesday the Prince of Wales walked ov er the estate, and, with Lieutenant-General Kee'l l l s and Captain Grey, inspected the various improvr ments that are being made to the royal estate. Baron de Bertouch arrived at Sandringham 00 Wednesday afternoon from Denmark. Their royal highnesses, according to present n r ' rangements, will leave Sandringham for town l e : day by special train, and in the interval of tb e ' r absence from Norfolk the Prince of Wales's ne lr residence will be commenced. The plans, virnic . ii , have been prepared by Mr. Humbert, have been 10 1 ° before his royal highness, and it is understood thn t a mansion suited to the dignity of the heir to th e Throne will be provided in the place of the presen t hall, the pretensions of which are of a very humb le character. Y T The erection of residences for the comptrollto of equerries, the extension of the royal stables, providing of new cottages for the labourers replet e with every accommodation, the planting of tree° , laying out of gardens, &c., which are being c arrid l , out extensively, sufficiently indicate the intere s ' reit by their royal highnesses in the estate and tl 3O sreat improvements contemplated. THE VISIT TO CAMBRIDGE.—uxivEnsiTI. ARRANGEMENTS. The council of the senate have reported to the senate that the grace which was approved by the o3 ' and subsequently sanctioned by the senate on til e , 21st inst., for the purpose of fixing the 16th (/' June as the day for conferring the honorary c l6l ' ;rtes and reciting the prig.) exercises, was so or proved with special reference to the intended visit to the university of their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales. They have since understood that it would be more agreeable to their royal highnesses to fix as earlier period for their visit, viz,, from the 2d t ° the 4th of June, so that they may be present in the university before the members have separated l 4lt the long vacation. The council therefore recommend that the 1 2013° ' racy degrees be. conferred on June 3, and that O ° Vice-Chancellor be authorised to fix the day a nd time for reciting the prize exercises. of As the examination for the ordinary degree B . A. cannot take place in the Senate-house at the time fixed by grace of Oct. 28, 1858, viz., May 2(3 ,', the council recommtnd that the syndicate cable_ was appointed on the 21st inst. to make prepat A° lions for the visit of their royal highnesses be e ar. powered to sign a place in which the examinat O shall be held. A grace to authorise the carrying into effect the foregoing recommendations will be offered to th e senate at the next ensuing congregation. His Royal Highness the Duke ot Cambridg e honoured the Earl and Countess of Malmesbury his company at dinner, yesterday evening, at their residell l !, in Stratford-place. Among the guests invited to meet royal highness were—Her Serene Highness Prince°. Edward of Saxe-Weimar, his Excellency the Con' Apponyi (the Austrian Ambassador), the Marquis °l d Marchioness Cadore, the Marchioness of Ely, the Earl ati a Countess of Tankerville, the Earl of Clanwilliam, Lord ° I Lady Colville, Lord Edward St. Maur, Colonel the 0 4)/1 ; James tuad Mrs. Macdonald, Sir Augustus and Lady F L 'P e and Miss Dashwood. THE PREMIER.—Lord Palmerston has been C Oil : fined to his residence during the week by an attack of g °s4 which will account for his absence from the House of CO I : mons. Owing to his illness, Lady P a l mers t o n's Pa r , t , f which was fixed for to-morrow night, is put off to the of May. The Earl and Countess of Courtown leave thei temporary residence on Carlton-house-terrace to-raorr osq for their seat in Ireland. The Countess of Verulam's dance for May 11 if' unavoidably postponed until the 12th. His Royal Highness Princ e Philip o f Wurte ll : : berg, attended by Baron Guttenberg and M. Mesnarclr left the Clarendon Hotel for the continent. The Marquis and Marchioness Cholmond el ls entertained a select party at dinner yesterday evening' their mansion on Carlton-house-terrace. The Marquis and Marchion ess o f W a terford 11 4 r: expected to arrive at their mansion in Charles -etreelt James's, from Curraghmore, County Waterford. A The Earl and Countess of Bessborough receive; a select party at dinner yesterday evening at their Lou pe Charles-street, Berkeley. square. The Earl Cadogan—not the Earl of Card i g an ' as announced yesterday—is seriously indisposed. A' t YP oI graphical error was the cause of the misstatement. LETTERS FOR CONSTANTINOPLE VIA VI EN t , I4 O P AND KUSTENDJIE.—The postal communication b-4 been re-established between Vienna and Constantinople I, way of Tchernavoda and Kustenijie. Mails for conveYl by this route are despatched from Vienna twice 0 . we d viz., on iiondays and Fridays; and letters from the Vo l i p Kingdom intended to be forwarded by such mails Wi ll ' 0 , the ordinary course of post, be in time for the mail O f 11° ; e 5 day if despatched from London via Ostend on the rc° ll) , 0 of the previou s Saturday, and for the mail ot Frid a y if . spatched f rom L on d on on the morning of the Pr evi : cr o Wednesday. Letters for Constantinople, w hich the son ad, u may desire to forward by this route, must be sPec iuilY 00 dressed "via Kustendjie." The postage chargeable ' letters will be the sante as via Trieste, viz , ild I re letter not exceeding half-an-ounce in weight, Iv ben 2 paid, and is id if sent unpaid, a meeting ( . 1f THE IRONMASTERS' ME 'ING.-At U. — the iron trrde of the United Kingdom , held ze London on the 28th inst., attended by its most influential . members, resolutions to the following effect were unani mously adopted :—That this meeting, without a n y desire to interfere with the right of the workmen to co mbine for ani fair and legitimate object, is resolved to resist, by ever , ' means iu its power, all attempts on the part of any combs' in v‘hich their work shall be conducted, a nd what workmen they shall employ ; and, with a view to maintain this prio' cipl.3, a committee be formed representing' eve ry iron making district. Of ployers the m oda nation of workmen to dictate to their era Another dividend under the bankruptcy ;raised at no distant date Strahan, Paul, and Bates is pro, the bankruptcy court offi c i a l s having at presen t in between £15,000 and £16,000.